A known connection device of the type is seated with its coupling element toward the wiper blade on the upper band face of the support element, which forms the termination of the wiper blade remote from the window (German Patent Disclosure DE 1972 98 65.6 A1).
However, if to avoid the tendencies of the wiper blade to lift away from the window at relatively high travel speeds, the wiper blade is to be provided with a spoiler, then the spoiler must be recessed accordingly in the mounting region provided for the connection device and located in the longitudinal center portion, so that the coupling element toward the blade can be fastened properly. In the case of a wiper strip made by die-pressing or molding, this must be accomplished with the aid of a complicated die-forming mold, while in the case of an extruded wiper strip, one additional work step is needed for this. Interrupting the course of the spoiler furthermore has a disruptive effect on the distribution of the contact force of the wiping action on the window. Furthermore, making an interruption in the leading- edge face that faces into the relative wind and is present on the spoiler undesirably increases the relative wind noise.
In the connection device of the invention, the leading-edge face is extended past the connection device, so that at most only a small gap remains, which in terms of the distribution of contact force and noise production can be ignored.
The leading-edge face of the coupling part can be embodied in a simple on a striplike protrusion disposed on the coupling part and aligned at least nearly with the spoiler.
If the striplike protrusion, originating at the end of the coupling part remote from the pivot axis of the connection device, extends toward the pivot axis, then a continuous transition from the leading-edge face of the spoiler to the leading-edge face of the connection device is assured, and in the region of the pivot axis, a small spacing, which is required for connecting the wiper blade to the wiper arm, can remain.
An especially advantageous embodiment in terms of ease of assembly of the coupling part toward the wiper arm is obtained if, in a refinement of the invention, the coupling part a U-shaped cross section; the bearing recesses are disposed on a longitudinal end portion in the legs of the U that cover the side cheeks of the coupling element; the striplike protrusion is disposed on the side of the base of the U remote from the legs of the U; and the striplike protrusion is provided with a leading-edge face and ends in spaced-apart fashion from the common pivot axis of the bearing recesses.
An extension of the concept of the invention is distinguished in that the base of the U, in the region of the pivot axis, is provided with a recess extending as far as the protrusion, and that the coupling element, on its side toward the base of the U of the coupling part, has a protrusion which penetrates the recess and on which a supplementary leading-edge face aligned with the leading-edge face of the protrusion is embodied. It is thus possible to extend the leading-edge face without interruption over its entire length without impairment of the work steps required for attaching the wiper blade to the wiper arm. As a result, especially good values in terms of the contact force distribution and noise development are attained.
The ease of assembly of a connection device of this kind is improved still further if the adjacent ends of the protrusion and of the protrusion each have a curved course, following a respective radius, and the centers of the radii of curvature are located on the pivot axis.
Economical manufacture of the connection device is attained if both the protrusions are integrally joined to the coupling part and the coupling element, respectively.
If in another embodiment of the invention, the striplike protrusion of the coupling part is longitudinally displaceable and lockable between an assembly position and an operating position, and in the operating position, the end of the protrusion toward the pivot axis is adjacent to the spoiler of the wiper blade, then the spacing between the spoiler and the protrusion which is required for assembly can be reduced afterward or eliminated entirely.
The protrusion can be integrated extensively into the course of the spoiler, if the striplike protrusion, on its end remote from the pivot axis and on its back side remote from its leading-edge face, has a free punch which measured longitudinally is approximately as long as the maximum longitudinal displacement path of the protrusion.
Expediently, both the coupling part and the coupling element are made from a plastic.